Jailbird
by DarkAngel886
Summary: Arnold's in jail for murder but was is self defense?...Please review
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I was going to make this into 3 chapters but got the idea randomly and decided to write it all at once. It turned out a little different than I originally planned but I still like it

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><p>A blonde muscular man is sitting on a chair behind bars, his football shaped head in his hands. He kept trying to figure out how he got here. A once optimistic boy who always looked on 'the bright side' is now stuck in a cell with four burly men wearing matching five o clock shadows. The blonde put his hand to his chin to realize that he also matched his cell mates.<p>

"Shortman." He looked up to see a portly police officer called his name. The officer walked over and opened the cell to let the prisoner out, put handcuffs on him and the two made their way to a large wooden door. The officer forced him to sit in a chair. An African American man with short hair was seated across from him wearing a black suit and red tie.

The man in the suit sighed before saying. "Arnold. How ya holding up?"

Arnold raised an eyebrow and said sarcastically. "Well I'm just fucking peachy how about yourself?"

Gerald nodded but said nothing.

"You got a smoke?" Arnold asked.

Gerald pulled out a pack of cigarettes and slid them over to Arnold's side of the table, along with a lighter.

After lighting and inhaling the cig Arnold glanced away.

"How is _she_?" He asked.

Knowing who Arnold was talking about he replied. "Not good."

He glanced over at his friend. "What do you mean not good? Is she ok? Did they hurt her?" Arnold asked raising his voice.

"Calm down, calm down…" Gerald motioned with his hands so his friend would stop being so frantic.

"Look she's staying with us. She'll be ok, just a little shaken up."

Arnold took another drag. "She hasn't come to see me you know."

Gerald nodded. "She's scared to see you like this." He motioned to the jumpsuit.

"You know she'll never leave you…you do realize that right?" Gerald added.

Arnold took another drag. "I don't deserve her."

"Look. I'm gonna get you outta here. I have studied your case since you were first put in here an-"

"Please Gerald. I'm not going to so stop bullshitting."

"You don't know what you're talking about. It was self defense. He was raping her. What were you suppose to do?" Gerald raised his voice.

Arnold sighed. "I don't fucking know. If I knew I wouldn't be in here."

Gerald put his head in his hands taking a big sigh. "I can get you out. I know a way."

"What you got a time machine or somethin'?" Arnold asked sarcastically.

"I have it on tape. I have examined the evidence and have searched for any type of clue and I found it. No one realized that there was video footage of that night." Gerald explained.

The blonde took another drag and blew the smoke out his nose. "You got a trial scheduled?"

"Next Monday."

Arnold nodded. "Kay. So how's the wife?"

Gerald smiled. "She's good, says hi. We're expecting so she's a pain in the ass."

Arnold raised an eyebrow smirked "More than usual?"

Gerald shrugged smiling. "Yep. Then again so is you're woman."

Arnold's expression faded and he took another drag, looking away.

"She's here you know." Gerald told him.

Arnold stared back. "She's here?"

Gerald nodded. "She wants to see you but is scared."

"Scared? Of me?"

There was a knock at the door.

A blonde woman with piercing blue eyes walked into the room. She was wearing a plain black dress with a v neck cut a pearl necklace and black low heels. She stood in the corner of the room.

"I could never be scared of you." She said as she walked over to the table. When she sat down she motioned the jumpsuit. She held back tears and sighed.

"I didn't want to see you like this." She slid her hands across the table and took both in his.

A lone tear fell and she brushed it away. "I love you." She sighed. "I need you to come home. Please my love let Gerald get you out. I…I...I miss you. I can't live another day without you next to me."

Arnold got up to lean across the table when an officer pushed him back down. Arnold glared at him. "What the hell man? I was just going to kiss her."

"Shh." She said to him, and then looked towards the officer.

"Would it be alright if I got up and kissed him really quick?"

The officer glanced at the other who shrugged. The sighed and nodded.

She got up and walked to Arnold, leaned over and gave him a long passionate kiss. When she broke the kiss, she stroked his cheek. "Please let Gerald bring you home."

He looked deep into her eyes. "But what if it doesn't work and I get life in this hellhole?" He asked her.

More tears started to flow down her cheeks. "Please at least try. Please." She leaned in and whispered against his lips "For me."

She kissed him again. She took the cigarette from his hand and put it out. "You know I hate you smoking these things."

He smirked at her. "I love you."

She smiled a smile that melted his heart and gave her whatever she wanted. "I love you too football head."

She sighed as she walked back to her seat. "So the date is set for Monday at 1:00."

Arnold nodded as a faint buzzer went off and the guards lifted him from his seat.

The portly officer looked towards the two and said. "I'm sorry to have to do this but rules are rules."

They nodded. "We understand Harold. You're just doing your job."

Arnold yelled over his shoulder. "I love you Helga."

"I love you too Arnold."

CHAPTER2

It was a hot summer day that Monday afternoon and the fans did not help at all. It was a very small court room with two desks next to each other, the judge's podium across from the two desks and a jury box to the left. Iggy Flenderson came in with a Hugo Boss gray suit and black tie. Gerald came in wearing a black Armani suit with a plain red tie. Arnold had a no name black suit with blue tie.

Helga and Phoebe sat in the first row behind them. Helga leaned over and kissed his cheek.

A think man with a crew cut came walking over to the podium. His name tag read 'Stinky'

"All rise for the honorable Judge Wartz." Everyone rose as the elderly man made his way to his podium.

"Your honor this is the case between the state and Mr. Shortman.'" Stinky said.

"You may be seated." Judge Wartz stated. Everyone took their seats with the exception of Iggy.

"Your honor. Mr. Shortman was accused for the murder of one Brainy Wilcox. Mr. Wilcox's blood was found in the defendant's residence and pled guilty to the charge. The state finds that Mr. Shortman should serve life in prison for his actions to help protect the community."

Iggy sat in his seat and Gerald stood.

"Your honor Mr. Shortman is not a bad man. We have evidence that what happened between Mr. Wilcox and Mr. Shortman was self defense for not only my client but his fiancée as well. We will prove that Mr. Wilcox had raped and assaulted both my client and his fiancée and that my client should be set free. He was only trying to protect the woman he loves and he should not be in punished for that."

Gerald took his seat. The judge nodded.

"Who is the first witness?" The judge asked.

"Your honor, the state calls upon Officer Harold Berman to the stand." Iggy stated.

Harold walked up to the witness stand.

"Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god?" Stinky asked as Harold put his right hand on the bible the left in the air.

He nodded "I do."

Harold was seated.

Iggy stood and walked around the table and towards the stand. "Officer Berman. Would you say that the defendant is a hostile man?"

Harold shook his head. "No more than any of the other prisoners."

"Interesting" Iggy said. "Would you say that the defendant is one of the better prisoners in your facility?"

Harold nodded. "Well, yes. He doesn't cause much trouble an-"

"Much trouble? No more than any other prisoners? Wouldn't you agree that a prisoner in their own right is a bad person?" Iggy inquired.

"No I didn't mean it like that. Mr. Shortman is a good guy. Mostly keeps to himself. It's only when others try to haze him that he becomes agitated. Other than that he is a good prisoner." Harold said as he looked towards the judge, who nodded.

"You were on the scene when the defendant was arrested, were you not officer Berman?" Iggy asked.

"Well yes I was."

"Could you please explain to the court what happened?" Iggy asked.

Harold nodded again. "When my partner and I arrived at the scene it show patches of blood on the staircase. The DNA was later found to be that of Mr. Wilcox. When Mr. Shortman was questioned he admitted to the murder of Mr. Wilcox. He explained that his fiancée was raped and he tried to help her. When Ms. Pataki was questioned she agreed to some testing that proved that it had occurred. Unfortunately Mr. Shortman was unable to be found."

"Unable to be found?"

"Yes after a week a bounty hunter had found him."

"Interesting. No Further questions your honor." Iggy said sitting down at his desk.

It was Gerald's turn to question the witness.

"Officer Berman. You said that my client is a nice guy. Do you remember what they bounty hunter said after he was found?"

"I do. He said that Mr. Shortman was found in the next county collecting two passports, one for Ms. Pataki and for himself." Harold stated.

Gerald picked up a thick packet and skimmed through it. "Officer Berman. Do you remember what the bounty hunter told the authorities the reason for the passports?"

Harold nodded. "He was going to surprise Ms. Pataki with a trip to Paris. He told the bounty hunter that he wanted to elope and had previously ordered the passports."

Gerald smiled. "No further questions your honor."

After Harold left the stand Iggy called out. "The state would like to call Sid Madro to the stand."

Sid walked to the stand, got sworn in and sat down.

"Mr. Madro, what is your occupation."

"I am a bounty hunter." Sid told him.

"Are you the same bounty hunter that was called to track Mr. Shortman?" Iggy asked.

Sid nodded. "It took a couple days to find him but we spotted him at an embassy, asking questions and collecting two passports."

"What had the defendant claim to be doing?" Iggy asked.

"Well. He had told me that he loved Ms. Pataki and wanted to surprise her by getting married. He had planned it for a month and was picking up the passports. They were going to Paris." Sid told the court.

"It took him a week to go to the next county?"

Sid shook his head. "He explained his in depth plan on proposing and he also stated his reason for the night in question."

"Oh." Iggy raised an eyebrow while he looked at him.

"Yes, he said that he came home late from work and went by the Pataki Residence to see his fiancée. After entering the home he heard screams, he ran to the room, opened the door to find Mr. Wilcox pressed up against her. Hitting her and forcing him on her. Shocked and in a heat of the moment he grabbed Mr. Wilcox and threw him on the ground. There was a struggle between the two and Mr. Wilcox pulled out a gun. He threatened to kill Ms. Pataki. The two men struggled with the gun and it went off. Mr. Shortman was the only one to stand back up. The police were called right away."

"No further questions." Iggy said and Gerald started his questioning.

"Mr. Madro, would you say that Mr. Shortman seemed like a hostile man?"

Sid shook his head. "He went along with everything I asked and said. It seemed to me that it was an accident."

You could hear Iggy slap his hand on his forehead.

"No further questions."

Gerald walked back as Iggy got up. "Your honor the state would like to call Helga Geraldine Pataki to the stand."

Helga, who sat in shock, stood up and walked to the witness stand. She was sworn in and seated.

Iggy smiled at her. "Can you please state your name for the record?"

"Helga Geraldine Pataki."

"Ok, Ms. Pataki. How long have you and the defendant been dating?"

"Eleven years this May." She replied.

Iggy nodded.

"Has there ever been a question to your relationship?"

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Has there ever been a point in time where you two almost broke up?" He asked.

"Maybe once or twice back when we first started dating, but other than that no."

Iggy nodded again. "Would you say that Mr. Shortman was a good man?"

She smiled. "The best. He is a very kind and considerate person. He is very good to me and I love him more than anything else in this world."

"Could you please explain to the court what happened the night in question?"

She nodded. "Arnold had called me that night around five thirty ish and said that he had to work late. I had this project for one of my English classes." She looked at the judge.

"You see I had a horrible case of pneumonia a week prior and my professor said that any class work I had missed, I could video tape to prove class participation. It was suppose to be how we can express our different emotions. I turned the camera on and began warming up five minutes later I heard my door open. Thinking it was Arnold I smiled and turned around…only to see Mr. Wilcox there…"

Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered the traumatic event. "I asked him how he got in my house and to leave immediately. He wouldn't leave."

She stopped talking; taking a deep breath, then began crying. Stinky the bailiff brought over some tissues and Arnold tried his best to keep his cool even though he wanted to scream.

Iggy apologized for upsetting the witness but Helga replied. "No, no…"

Taking another deep breath she said. "He came into my room and forced himself on me, trying to rip my clothes off. I screamed for help then saw Arnold grab him off of me. The two of then started to fight each other. Then Mr. Wilcox pulled out a gun and…he pointed it at me."

She took another deep breath and said. "The two men struggled back and forth and the gun went off. Mr... Wilcox lay on the floor and I call the police. I have it all on video tape."

She turned toward the judge. "Your honor, please let him go, he is a good man with a kind heart. He was trying to protect me. I don't want to live without him."

Suddenly a gunshot was heard barely missing Helga's head. She sat in shock before crouching in the box.

"Helga!" Arnold screamed standing up. He wanted to run to her but was held back by the officers. Iggy ran over to see if she was alright. Then everyone turned to see a thin red head holding a gun.

CHAPTER 3

The red head walked through the crowd. Many of the people exited the room in fear.

"He was supposed to be with me!" Two other officers grabbed her and dragged her out of the room.

Gerald stood up holding a DVD. "Your honor with your permission, can we check the videotape?"

In shock Judge Wartz nodded. It showed Helga talking to the camera then Brainy came in the room, forcing himself on her, Arnold coming in, the fight then the gunshot. Iggy sat back and stared.

"I've heard all I need to hear. Will the defendant please rise."

Gerald stood next to Arnold as they both stood.

"Mr. Shortman, you have been found guilty of a crime which obviously is proven to be self defense, this court here by finds you to be innocent. You are free to leave." A grin formed on Arnold's face and he hugged Gerald a tear falling down his face.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Then ran over and gave Helga a hug, lifting her up in the air. Kissing her passionately, collecting any belongings they had they left for home. They both packed their belonging and left for Paris. While waiting for their friends at the airport Arnold pulled out a cigarette. Helga snatched it away before he could light it. "You know how I feel about those." He rolled his eyes. "I will always love you." He said.

"Me too football head. me too."

The end…or is it?

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><p>AN: Not sure if the title is name correctly or not but I wrote it fast...I hope you liked it… Please review


	2. A New Beginning:DarkAngel886PS Kulas

Hi everyone. I am writing to let you all know that I will be publishing a book on I-Tunes, Amazon kindle and hopefully in paperback format released January 2013.

It will be called

**'A New Beginning' By P.S. Kulas**

_One person can change everything._

Stephanie Lewis has always been a headstrong woman.

The loss of her father at a young age made her distance herself emotionally from everyone, which is one of the main reasons she became a fantastic lawyer. After she wins a media worthy case her life may be in danger. That didn't bother her as much as one person she tried to stay away from.

_'No one could ever understand'_

Tyler Gifford was a well known flirt throughout the office..

even if he didn't work for the same company. He never wanted a serious relationship. It was easier to use women than to actually have feelings for them. But a recent death in the family made him look at things differently. The only woman who could relate…

Could they help each other find a way to stay alive, start over and find a new beginning…


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